Quilling, Paper Filigree or Filigrana. Tons of free instructions and patterns for quilling, card making, tea bag folding, and paper crafts can be found here. Silhouette cut files too.
Quilling is an art form that dates back to the Renaissance and involves the use of strips of paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to make intricate designs.
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Quilling Tabs

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Butterfly Giveaway Pictures and A Story

Hello Again!

I have been building up the courage to share this piece of art with each of you. Yes, I have been afraid to share it with anyone because it is very different from anything I have ever done before, and I am a chicken!

For my One World One Heart giveaway, I knew that I wanted to make a Quilled Butterfly! I wasn't sure what it would look like, but I knew that once I started creating it that the butterfly would find it's way out of the papers I was using and emerge as it was intended... and I was right. Over the course of many hours and several days, she took shape. I am so proud of the way she turned out. I tried to get a close up of her so that you would be able to see all the little details. I did not start with a pattern, just strips of paper. The first thing that I did was create the general shape of the wings. I started with a loose shape in the black quilling paper, I used a nice 1/4 inch wide paper for this project. I wanted the design to be open, so I just made scrolls and various strips and colors of paper along the way. I wanted to point out the special little hearts... you will see many heart shapes in the wings. I did this to show the love that was put into this creation.

I definitely wanted her to sparkle, so I used glitter paper as the backing. I lightly traced the wing that I had created on the glitter paper and cut it out then glued the wing to the paper. You can see the sparkle/glitter in the close up. I also added some jewels to the project as well to make her happy and sparkly.

I don't know how many times I changed my mind about what I was going to place her in. I started out thinking a 4x6 frame, but in the end my butterfly emerged a bit too large for such a small frame. I have had a growing desire to paint and that desire pushed its way through and I ended up creating a mixed-media painting... Please be kind, this is my first true venture in anything outside of ATCs with painting... This is 8x10 canvas board - Yikes!!!

I hand cut flower petals and leaves to make one large echinacea flower and then you will see that I hand painted others directly on the canvas. I painted the petals a beautiful "sugar plum" pink color (this is a yummy color and I know that I will use it again). I covered the entire (painted) canvas board with Alene's Paper Glaze, I know, I LOVE this stuff!!! I use it a lot and I think I am going to be using so much more of it!!! I wish it weren't so expensive... so maybe I'll have to curtail my addiction a bit - lol..... I don't think you can really see from the picture the beautiful shine on the flowers and background... but believe me it is there.

I love quotes, and selected a quote from Goethe - "Remember to live" that I had from a scrapbook set that I received as a gift many years ago (sorry, don't know what it was anylonger).... And that ultimately is what this butterfly and flower represent... the carefree butterfly flittering about is just enjoying the day... I find that I think I personally need to do more of this and wanted to send some of that free spirit to the winner of my giveaway.

Amy, I hope that you enjoy this gift and that she brings you joy and a bit of inspiration!

Update: I have linked this to the following linky parties / challenges:

I am so humbled and honored to receive this gorgeous and very personal piece of art! I love it, the story behind its creation and the message it portays. It will hang in a place of honor and serve as a reminder every day to appreciate the beauty all around me. Thanks so very much! You have blessed me in so many ways!

OMG!!! Antonella!!! Your butterfly is absolutely stunning!!! How much work on paiting and quilling but the final result is breathtaking!! I love all those hearts and the colors are wonderful!! Thanks a lot for sharing your talent my friend!!Have a marvellous Sunday!Love and hugsRegina

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